About

My name is Margaret Fingerhut and I am passionate about helping the plight of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK, especially given the current climate of hate and hostility.

I also happen to be a concert pianist (you may have heard me on Classic FM or BBC Radio 3!) so I decided to put this fact to good use and have come up with this exciting piano project. I have devised a very special recital programme which I am calling ‘Far from the Home I Love’. Over the coming year I will be playing this recital all around the UK to raise money for a wonderful organisation called City of Sanctuary.

The history of classical music would be very different if composers had not been allowed to migrate. My concert will tell the stories in words and music about some of the many composers who had to move from their homeland, either because of war or fear of persecution, or who were not refugees but simply migrated for their work. Their stories truly resonate with the current troubling attitudes towards refugees and those in exile.

City of Sanctuary is an amazing network of over 100 local groups in cities, towns, villages and centres across the UK and Ireland, all committed to building a culture of welcome, hospitality and inclusiveness for asylum seekers and refugees. The money that I raise from my project will go towards a special fund to increase the participation and engagement of sanctuary seekers across the City of Sanctuary network. This involvement is vital to ensure that sanctuary seekers are at the heart of the movement and that their voices are heard.

To find out more details about my project and where I am playing, please visit my website www.margaretfingerhut.co.uk or my Facebook page, or https://cityofsanctuary.org/farfromhome/

I have received some amazing sponsorship to kick off my ambitious target of raising £88,000 (that's £1000 for each key on the piano!). Even if you cannot get to any of the concerts, please help me reach this target by making a donation on this page.Thank you!